Maritonia
Maritonia At A Glance Game Links Backstory/Current Setting/World Guardians Races Characters Lexicon General Overview The people of Maritonia are primarily peaceful and hardworking. They harbor very few prejudices against other races, often embracing those who are different from themselves. There are any number of different shades of skin, as well as hair and eye color, of those who call Maritonia home, because of their acceptance of such differences. The land in Maritonia is mostly lush grasslands and plains, though there are hills and valleys to be found. They are bordered to the north, by Kalonice. To the west, is Zeroun, to the south Cyrah, and the west is coastal, bordered by the sea (as of yet, unnamed). Maritonia is one of the few countries on the continent, that is on the cutting edge of technology and magic. It has given them an edge in many ways. As a whole, the Maritonian society leans toward a moral 'good' society. The laws in place have consequences for murder, stealing, and disrespecting the authority of one's superiors. The majority of Maritonians are satisfied with the King's rule. There are some discontents, who would rather make a push into Cyrah, and have the whole thing done with, instead of resting on this tremulous cease fire. They are sure the Cyran's are just buying more time to come up with something nasty that will kill several people. Customs What makes this kingdom different from other kingdoms? Of all the countries, Maritonia is the most open minded and accepting of other races and cultures. Though they will not sacrifice their own beliefs, they are willing to make accomodations to visiting dignitaries of other cultures to make them feel as comfortable as possible. What do these people treasure the most? (eg. technology, knowledge, military, etc...) They treasure their way of life. The majority of the country feels secure, and there is no fear of being taken into slavery. Even the poor are recognized as freemen, even if that freedom means for a hard life. It's honest. What holidays do they have? Harvest Festival: The people of Maritonia revere Jocasta as their patron Guardian. Every year, in Avar, they host a festival to celebrate the harvest. People come from all around the country for this festival, and for those who cannot make it, the cities and villages host their own festivals. The first gathering of the harvest is collected and used to prepare a feast for the festival. During the feast, prayers and offerings are lifted up to Jocasta in thanks for the bountiful harvest. The offerings are the best of what was gathered, presented back to Jocasta. (Though the Guardians have little need for this food, it is accepted and eaten.) Various games are played, and this is considered a time of preparation: o Preparation for the winter months o Preparing the soil so it will be ready for sowing Preparations for death. Festival of New Beginnings: o The Festival of New Beginnings takes place immediately after winter passes, and the plants begin to sprout from the ground and flowers begin to bloom. This is a time of new birth. o The main festival is held in Avar, the capital of Maritonia, though the other cities and villages hold their own version of the festival. o The festival begins friendly contests and competitions, followed by presentations and blessings of children born within the previous few months. After, which, any marriage ceremonies planned for this day are conducted, followed by a huge feast of celebration. o It is considered lucky to have the marriage ceremony conducted during the Festival of New Beginnings. How do they treat their women and children? Women are recognized as capable, and in certain situations - such as priestesses for female Guardians - they are allowed to hold high positions. They are judged individually, based on their abilities, though often men still hold the highest positions. Children have to grow up quickly, at least in the lower classes. Except for the nobility, all children are working from the time they are physically able. Children are valuable, whether to carry on the family legacy, make political/economical alliances, or simply for extra hands to get the work done. What are the styles of clothing they wear? The people of Maritonia enjoy clothing of a variety of different materials. Cloth is the most common material used, but there are those of nobility who have enough coin to use a more finer quality of material (ex. satin, silk, etc) What are the most popular foods/dishes they have? Popular dishes include: Stew, made with either lamb, beef or seafood. Wine & cheese (quality of wine depends on class) Porridge (with the lower class) Boar/Swine Fruit Tarts What are their primary imports and exports of goods? In general, what are the people's ethics besides being a hard worker? Fair treatment is of high importance in their culture. Individuals are given opportunities, until or unless their actions have determined them to be untrustworthy. In general, dealings with others are conducted honestly, but that does not mean they do not use caution when dealing with individuals they are unfamiliar with. Marriage: - Dowries are traditional. A man and a woman who wish their marriage to be recognized by the government, must stick to the following guidelines: *The suitor must petition the father of his intended bride for his permission. *If permission is granted, the suitor must: **A suitable dowry is to be offered, depending on the status of the intended bride and her position in the family. If the suitor does not already have the full amount of the dowry, he must ensure to gather/collect/procure the full amount by the end of the engagement period. ** If the intended bride is the oldest and the designated heir, the suitor must work for/with the father for the period of engagement, no less than a year, to learn the family business which he will be put in charge of when the time comes for the estate to be passed down. **An engagement period must be entered into before the marriage ceremony may be performed. *** The engagement period must be at least a year. *** The couple is to conduct themselves (in regards to others), as if they are already married. If at any time, the conduct of one of the couple is discovered to not be honorable, the other of the couple is able to call off the engagement with no repercussions to themselves. *** During the engagement period, if the intended groom has not already prepared a home for the couple, this time is used to complete this task. ** Once the engagement period has been met, and there hasn’t arisen any objections to the marriage, a ceremony will be arranged. *** A ceremony is conducted by a priest/priestess of Theophilia. If one is not in the city/village, arrangements are made for one to travel to the site of the ceremony. ***The couple’s family and friends are gathered to witness the binding covenant, joining them until death. (Divorce is not allowed in this society.) ***To seal the covenant, a yearling lamb is sacrificed. The form is split in two. After the couple repeats their vows, they pass through the separated halves of the lamb. Once they pass through, they are declared married, and the lamb is taken up and prepared for the wedding feast. Government The Maritonian government is a Monarchy, whose succession is based on heredity. There is a ruling King, who governs from the capitol, Avar, Maritonia. His father was King before him, and his grandfather before him. If a male heir is not old enough to rule when the time comes to assume the throne, it is permissible for the Queen mother to rule in his place until he reaches the age of authority – fifteen. At that time, the Crowned Prince would assume the throne, and be guided by the Queen mother as well as close advisers, until he he reaches the age of eighteen, when the Queen would step back, and the King would come fully into his own power and authority as ruler of the country. Since the country has grown from the original province that it began, it became necessary for the King to have individuals posted in the far reaches of the country, to help keep the peace, and ensure the prosperity and lawfulness of the citizens, as well as care for the protection of Maritonia's borders and countrymen. The King appointed trusted noblemen, granting them lands and domains to govern as an extension of the King himself. These titles are also passed down from father, to eldest son, and the ranking of the titles are as follows: *Duke & Duchess *Marquis & Marchioness *Earl & Countess *Viscount & Viscountess *Baron & Baroness *Knight & Knight's Lady Races The primary race in Maritonia is Human, but that is only so, because of how plentiful the people are in re-population. Not far behind, are the Ithnevarians, and what are referred to as Half-Breeds. The Humans, Ithnevarians and Half-Breeds are fairly well integrated. Though they consider themselves non-racists, hypocrisy is revealed whenever it comes to Half-Breeds. Languages In Maritonia, they speak a common, Human tongue. There are no separate languages with the humans, only different dialects and accents that are unique to the different countries and even areas within the same country. (See below for cities.) The Ithnevarians have their own language, which is spoken predominantly by those of that race. It is a difficult language to learn, and very few Ithnevarians are willing to teach it to anyone other than one of their own race. The Half-Breeds have a passing familiarity with the language, but when they speak it, it becomes obvious that they have difficulty pronouncing the words just right. Literacy Maritonia is an educated country, and the nobility prides themselves on this fact. The lower class (poor/peasantry) are completely illiterate, except in extremely rare cases. They simply don't have access to the instruction, or materials, to acquire the skill. Even so, there are are a few who have learned how to fake it well enough to pass. The middle class, merchants, are a step above the peasantry. They have learned just enough to be able to run their businesses successfully. The money they bring in, and sometimes the travel, open up possibilities for them to learn how to read. Their time is limited, so often they learn only enough to get by, but not enough to read fluently. The upper/noble class are taught to read during their childhood years. It is required of all male children of the noble class to learn how to read, and it is not unusual, for even the female children to have the opportunity, though it is not mandatory for them. Religion The patron Guardian for the country is Jocasta. Because of their faithful worship and observation of the Guardian, she blesses them with fertile land and abundant harvests. Other Guardians are honored, each individual has their own patron Guardian that they turn to in time of need, but all in the country give Jocasta her due, to maintain the country's prosperity. Cities *Avar (Capitol) *Shillivan *Moric *Dolvack *Shalathon *Minsheva *Nostrad Opinions of Other Countries Cyrah : They are a barbaric people, completely uncultured, and not to be trusted. They are not smart enough to be devious, but it doesn't mean they are easily overcome. They are like dogs with a bone. They have very few goals, and are greedy. They have the attitude that people owe them, and what they see, they want, and deserve to have. In many cases, they are bullies, and try to use brute force to get what they want. They don't place any value in talking, or compromise. Kalonice : They are an intelligent people, and if not for their power hungry nature, and devious means, they might make good allies. Unfortunately, they are two-faced. They might make alliances with you, claiming to be on your side, and at the first chance they see an advantage for themselves, they will as likely stab you in the back. They are a cultured people, but it doesn't make them any more civilized than the Cyrans. They simply come in a prettier package. They are a very politically minded people. Zeroun : Good people, and good allies. Although a formal alliance has not yet been made, the Zerounians are like minded people of class and culture. They are ambitious, and strive to make advancements and discoveries that will make life easier for themselves, and their allies. They are a hard working people. We have an open border agreement, and trade freely with the people of Zeroun. Maritonians travel across the borders, 'vacationing' in Zeroun, and vice versa. We foster good relationships with the Zerounian government, and are looking forward to a solid alliance to be formed. They would be valuable allies, not only in matters of trade, but having a trustworthy neighbor in times of war, would be priceless. Quadi : They are good people, and up until only five years ago, Zeroun and Quadi were one country. They are nearly the same, in every way, except for the ambition. Quadians seem to want a more simple life. This is not to say they are any less, hard workers. On the contrary, they work just as hard, but then they take time out to rest and relax as well, where in contrast, the Zerounians spend much of their time working, in one way shape or form. The Quadians choose to enjoy the rewards of their labors. Dinesh : They're a little far away, but they seem to be good people too. Many scholars come from that area, and those that want to receive an excellent education, they are sent to the schools in Dinesh. As a whole, the Dinesians are a quiet people. They put more value in a good education, than they do their military. It is said, that the Kalonicians have been plotting for years, in hopes of taking the country over from the inside, but there have been no overt signs of such a thing. The Dinesians don't seem to be concerned, but it makes us wonder just how smart they really are. A good military is important.. just in case. Landmarks/Notable Sites *The Yihane Forest : This forest is to the north of Maritonia, along the border of Maritonia and Kalonice. This is Isanne's playground. She is mischief personified. She settled in the Yihane forest, and her presence brought about all sorts of 'spirits', including giving a semblance of life to the trees, in the form of dryads. Though, when she is in their presences, the trees themselves take on more of a life of their own. .. .. Once, disregarding the warnings from his people, the King of Kalonice (at that time) tried to secretly invade Maritonia, only to encounter strange things and living trees and bushes, which “swallowed” 1/3 of his troops. What the King didn't know, was that his men were not swallowed, but enchanted and spirited away.. changed into a 'creature' of the forest. Isanne doesn't take kindly to men in armor tromping around her playground. *Kalonician Hills: The hills to the east, just beyond the lake (that has no name yet), are the Kalonician Hills. They are said to be haunted. People will brave the hills, thought not at night. A legend in Kalonice is that a brave hero of old met his end in those hills. During the day, they feel safe – that he is protecting them, but at night, it is said that his spirit is overwhelmed and bound by the evil that was responsible for his death. *Castle: This is not the castle in Avar, the home of the King of Maritonia. This castle is the home of the yaser, Nicholas, and is located beyond the hills to the north of Shillivan.. No one has been able to get close to it, as of yet, because of a spell of aversion set on the castle and surrounding land. No one is able to come any closer than double the length of a football field, to the castle itself, unless Nicholas grants entrance (necessities only). Obviously, the yaser doesn't want company. *Huge gorge: There is a large chasm near the town of Nostrad. Legend has it, the gorge was created as a result of a battle between a dragon and some other strong/fierce creature (Takalah), during the species war, when the Takalah had intervened to bring it to an end before any races were extinguished. (The people are not aware of the Takalah, as a race unto themselves. Any who come in contact with the Takalah just assume they're a rather large human). Slighted lovers have been known to take their lives, traveling great distances across the country. *Ruins: There are ruins about halfway in between the border of Maritonia and Cyrah. It was an old 'fort'/outpost of the Cyrans, before Maritonia pushed the borders further back, after taking the city of Shillivan. There had been a 'sneak attack' by a Maritonian 'squad' who attacked in the middle of the night. The Cyran men were distracted by a decoy.. a woman. The soldiers, who had been at that outpost for two weeks, without seeing anything remotely female (not even their horses), were vulnerable. It didn't take much, and the men were caught with their 'pants down'.. literally.. making success for the Maritonians, inevitable.